Welsh Lamb and Beef exports boost country’s economy

Oli Haenlein
· 09 July, 2014

International sales of Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef earned the Welsh economy more than £224 million last year, according to new figures.

Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) released the statistics, which showed exports of PGI Welsh Lamb products were worth £154.7m in 2013, and exports of PGI Welsh Beef £69.4m. While overseas sales of beef remained the same as in 2012, exports of lamb were up by £7m.

Laura Pickup, HCC market development manager, said: “These figures show that consumers across the world love Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef. Not only are we continuing to perform strongly in our traditional overseas markets in mainland Europe, but we have also seen excellent growth in emerging territories, particularly Scandinavia.”

Exports to Denmark, Norway and Sweden began in 2011, and the Scandinavians bought £1.5m-worth of the products that year; in 2013 they had grown to £4.6m.

France, purchasing more than £71m of PGI Welsh Lamb in 2013, remains the biggest overseas customer, with Germany in second place. The Netherlands were the largest consumers of Welsh Beef, purchasing £14.3m of it in 2013.

Pickup added: “This is good news for Wales’ farmers and exporting companies. The money earned overseas is reinvested in the Welsh economy, helping to safeguard businesses and jobs here in Wales.

“PGI Welsh Lamb in particular is now considered to be a global brand, known throughout the world for its quality and superior taste. It not only represents all that is best about our farming industry, it also flies the flag for Wales across the world. In short it is a world-class, high-quality, premium product that is simply delicious.”

HCC said that exports account for approximately a third of PGI Welsh Lamb sales, with the remainder sold in the UK.